The highly anticipated matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football promises to be a thrilling clash of two AFC powerhouses. Both teams have assembled talented rosters and are eager to make a statement early in the season. With explosive offenses and stout defenses, the game is expected to be a high-scoring affair that will have fans on the edge of their seats.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL Showdown $1.25M Sunday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (BUF @ BAL)
Captain’s Picks
Ty Johnson ($3,600 CP): At first glance, this seems like a terrible pick. It’s risky but this is a showdown slate. With few players in the pool, DraftKings NFL DFS Showdown Slates always require risky fringe options. This slate demands it. The Bills and Ravens offenses do not concentrate their air attack. The quarterbacks and running backs are doing the scoring this season. Those stars are expensive. Value is paramount. The stars listed below only fit with a value Captain’s Pick. The value options are slim due to the offensive schemes. Ty Johnson stands out as the best option. His snaps are limited but he made good use of his 18 snaps in the Bills’ Week 3 Monday Night Football matchup with the Jags — three receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown. When healthy, Johnson has been an above-average third-down back. A matchup with the Ravens’ defense could result in many third-and-long scenarios. Johnson doesn’t need a big game. The objective is salary flexibility and modest production. Johnson fits that criteria.
UTIL Plays
Derrick Henry ($9,800): Both offenses are diversified and traditional. They like to run and they spread the ball around in the air. The run game it is. James Cook ($9,600) is cheaper because Henry is better. You get what you pay for, and you pay for what you get. Fading Henry for Cook could be a death blow to your lineups. Henry is healthy and rushing with purpose. He looks like the downhill rusher from his prime in Tennessee. Buffalo is missing key linebackers. Their backups have been up to the task, but the task has been just a task, not a challenge — matchups against Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals. Henry carried the ball 25 times for 151 yards in Week 3. Why would the Ravens get away from that game plan in this matchup?
Lamar Jackson ($10,800): Fitting both MVP quarterbacks into one lineup might be too much to ask. It might require too many punts. Either way, at least one of the Sunday Night Football quarterbacks needs to be in a DraftKings NFL DFS Showdown Slate lineup. Jackson only attempted 15 passes last week but he completed 12 of them for 182 yards and a 139.4 QB Rating. The script won’t play out the same. He’ll likely need to pass more against the Bills, but that’s not the key to this DFS pick. Jackson’s legs are the play. He’s rushed 35 times for 254 yards and a touchdown this season. That puts him on pace for 1,400 yards. No one fades a 1,000-yard rusher. No one fades a 1,000 rusher that passes, too.
Josh Allen ($11,000): The gunslinger is gone. Allen still runs (17 carries for 85 yards and two touchdowns), but he’s more discerning through the air. He is checking down and spreading the ball to all of his above-average pass catchers. The Bills’ air strength is not a single elite receiver. It’s a cadre of capable catchers and offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s offensive scheme. The Ravens present the toughest matchup so far for the Bills. That doesn’t sound appealing but it could also mean that Allen is forced to do more on Sunday night. His efficiency could suffer but his raw fantasy points could increase in this matchup of AFC Championship contenders.
Fades
Khalil Shakir ($7,600): Stefon Diggs is gone. Shakir has stepped up and looks like a suitable replacement as the Bills’ No. 1 receiving option. A matchup with Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey will answer a lot of questions. Shakir is a slot receiver but the Ravens have deployed Humphrey on the outside and in the slot in the past. Humphrey expressed his willingness to cover both positions in the offseason. This will likely be a shadow situation. Shakir could succeed out of the slot because the Ravens have been susceptible over the middle of the field. He could also fail. Humphrey’s 64% PFF Lockdown Report ranks sixth in the NFL. Even if Shakir plays well, it’s hard to justify allocating resources toward Shakir and missing out on the quarterbacks and running backs in this matchup.
THE OUTCOME
Both teams have shown impressive talent and potential. The Bills’ high-powered offense will likely pose a significant challenge to the Ravens’ defense. However, the Ravens’ strong defensive line and versatile quarterback could disrupt the Bills’ offensive rhythm. Ultimately, the outcome hinges on the ability of both teams to execute their game plans under pressure and limiting mistakes.
Final Score: Buffalo Bills 24, Baltimore Ravens 21
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL Showdown $1.25M Sunday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (BUF @ BAL)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
